How Students Can Improve Their Performance In Research Project
Research project is very important to all student that are about to graduate. Research project has so many definitions. It literally implies repeating a search for something and implicitly assumes that the earlier search was not exhaustive and complete in the sense that there is still scope for improvement. Research in common parlance refers to a search for knowledge. It may be defined as a scientific and systematic search for pertinent information on a specific topic/area. The Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English lays down the meaning of research as “a careful investigation or inquiry especially through search for new facts in any branch of knowledge”. Redman and Mory define research as “a systematized effort to gain new knowledge”. Some people consider research as a movement, a movement from known to unknown.
RESEARCH PROJECT
we can only be sure of our own existence because we perceive through the activity of the mind. ‘‘Cogito, ergo sum’’ (‘‘I think; therefore I am.’’). By this logic knowledge generation is central to man’s existence. However, the act of gathering information and checking data alone is not considered research project. It is at best data collection that is crucial the completion of the research project. The many ways of acquiring knowledge include through tradition, authority, logical reasoning, experience, intuition, borrowing and the scientific method. Of these ways, the scientific method is the most sophisticated and reliable. Research project is the diligent systematic enquiry into nature and society to validate and refine existing knowledge and to generate new knowledge about undergraduate final year research topics or masters’ dissertation projects.
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
Academic performance or school outcome is the product of student’s achievements at specific institution, for specific time duration, under a specific guideline of a leader to a right motive. The academic performance can be best checked or judged by different ways according to the mental level of students like observations, test and examinations. The primary level student’s academic performance is usually checked by observations. While the examinations and tests are best way to check the academic performance or academic understanding in high classes. These written tests or examinations are known as home exams because it is conducted by school administration. In some countries examination is used to upgrade or degrade the students so if a student is intelligent but did not attend the annual exam will be left in same class till he/she succeed in the exam. Students learn in schools and institutions, their records are kept and this record is called academic performance and academic outcome. The student works under the supervision of a teacher, in a selected place, for selected time duration and their performance is measured by exams. This process is known as the academic performance. The learners choose the best institution to perform well or get academic excellence. The formal study of learner starts in schools. In school the learner learns various things along with technical, arts, literacy etc.
Academic activities are usually measured by test/examination or by assessments. Individuals have different mental level, interest, atmosphere which linked to difference in intelligence and personality. A Recent Meta Analyses suggested “mental curiosity” has an important influence on academic achievements. Early academic achievement enhances later academic achievements. The way of student’s interest, skills, reading habits, behavior etc are the outcome/reflection of parent’s academic socialization. The parents play vital role in child academic socialization. At first stage of her/his life the children learn languages which help him/ her to adjust and fulfill the academic expectations. Physical activity and language plays a vital role in best academic environment because sound body have sound mind and language is a tool for learning and expressing feelings/ knowledge. Exercise specifically increase executive brain functions such as attention, working memory, and motivation. Academic goals can be easily achieved only when the students feel safe, engaged and respected. The environment such as social, emotional, ethical and educational (academic achievement) creates a climate for learning and participating in democracy and well-being. High quality character education leads to academic achievements. Education or academic achievements and character education are co related. When the students are highly motivated towards a topic or they realized the good things by their inner satisfaction, they became good at every field of life as they feel good to do well. Their curiosity increase and pursue them to do well. But when they feel/find something difficult, they lose their way of interest, they became anxious and hesitated. The hesitation leads them to leave the academic performance
HOW STUDENTS CAN IMPROVE THEIR PERFORMANCE IN RESEARCH PROJECTS
When one is obtaining an understanding of the education system, then it is vital to acquire an understanding of the measures that are required to bring about improvements in student performance in research projects. To bring about improvements in student learning, it is necessary to put into practice various strategies. These are, making improvements in the instructional strategies, teaching students to examine their own data and setting of the learning goals, establishing a clear vision of the school-wide data use, making provision of support that foster the data-driven culture within the educational institutions, putting into practice the assessment strategies and creating an amiable environment. The same procedure should be applied to undergraduate final year students and post graduate students who are handling or participating in their research projects or dissertation should master the various terminologies that have to do with research projects. From experience, research projects in education department follows a similar pattern in their organization. Where most students get it wrong is in their literature review. A good literature review for education students is divided into four sections; the conceptual framework, the theoretical framework, the empirical review and the gap in literature. The step forward towards achieving a high performance in research projects is first by understanding your research topic. Secondly, be able to identify the problem in your research topic. Then ask your project supervisor if there is any format required to follow. Have an understanding of how to come up with a good research methodology. Finally create time to learning the use and application of various statistical software like SPSS, E-VIEW, MINITAB, STATA etc. The you are good to go!
